Wi Fi Access Point

I use a Netgear WNDAP350.

For about the last 10 years I've been using an Airport Extreme, wired to my ISP supplied router, on which I disable the WiFi. I've found this to be a reliable setup, very easy to configure, and with much improved stability and range compared to the WiFi ability of the various 'free' routers I've tried.

Before I pulled my finger out and installed a wired network, I managed to get the Airport Extreme, with an Airport Express wired to my Naim streamer, to handle 24/192 streaming over WiFi pretty reliably. Nonetheless, my advice to anyone who is thinking of doing the same would be.....pull your finger out and instal a wired network. 

Like Chris, I have a fully wired LAN, with multiple sockets in each room.

the netowrk starts with an Apple Airport Extreme, which handles all the IP address assignment. I also use a WiFi extender - another Apple Airport Extreme plugged into one of the LAN sockets .

Netowrk starts with the first Airport Extreme. Cisco Gigabit switch is next. All wired devices connect to a switch (NAS, 4 Naim streamers, Oppo, 2nd Airport Extreme). Other devices use WiFi: Apple Macs, iPads, iPhones, network printer.

What model TP-Link range extender is it? I use a TL-WA830RE as an access points upstairs.

Some models do have the option to be used as an access point in the setup. Under mode there should be an option of Access Point or Range Extender.

The newer Dual band range extenders versions don't have the option to use them as an access point.

Thanks for the responses. I'm trying to use the TL-WA830RE but I can't access and setup or management pages and I'm sure that's where the answer lies. 

Interesting to hear that the newer models can't be used as access points as that was going to be my next move..

Yes the answer lies in the menu. Download the manual from here....

http://www.tp-link.com/en/download/TL-WA830RE.html

I would reset it back to factory defaults and follow the manual to get to the set-up menu. I would also plug it directly into a pc (not via a router or switch) until I have it running as an access point. Then switch it off move it to where you need to use it then power it up.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Cheers Martin

I had a range issue in my house and after a couple of failed attempts with various consumer products I came upon Ubiquiti Networks UniFi range.

They are built more for enterprise, so not cheap, but absolutely rock solid and powerful. Every corner of my house now gets a strong and robust signal.

Well worth checking out. 

Hi Plant Pot,

I had a similar problem with my network. I live in an old VIcorian cottage with thick walls and a T-shape. My main system is upstairs, with  a Naimuniti downstairs. I have a hard wired Ethernet connection, but the only way I could get iPad remote control to work was to create a wireless access point using a spare Netgear DGN2000 router. You have to change some internal settings in order to avoid conflicting IP addresses. There are many internet sites and YouTube videos which lead you through the procedure. My system has worked faultlessly for 3 years now , whereas I was struggling with range extenders.

cheers

Hugh

SamS posted:

I had a range issue in my house and after a couple of failed attempts with various consumer products I came upon Ubiquiti Networks UniFi range.

They are built more for enterprise, so not cheap, but absolutely rock solid and powerful. Every corner of my house now gets a strong and robust signal.

Well worth checking out. 

This is what I use in the annex that I call home - I have 2 x UAP-AC, 1 UAP-AC Pro and an EdgeRouter Lite whose WAN side connection is to a BT HomeHub5s LAN port in the main house. The HH5 is then simply used as a gateway to the internet and is only really retained so that BT will support the connection (I installed a separate Linksys EA6300 cable router in the main house that has its WAN side also connected to the HH5 so that their network and my network are logically isolated from each other).

I also installed three of the UAP-AC's a couple of years ago at our ex-MD's home after several years of trying to convince him to dump his assembled menagerie of wireless access points, extenders and EOM devices that had accumulated there over the years and which had been a constant battle for me to try to beat into some semblance of reliability.

He finally gave in to my constant nagging, allowed me to temporarily run a few long network cables (his good lady wife was not impressed) and throw a couple of UAP-ACs that I had of my own in 'just to test' first but it was an almost immediate no-brainer for him, he had a few dedicated Ethernet cable runs put in for the APs and I've not been over there to fix any WiFi related issues since. I've also managed to get the Ubiquiti kit into a few other installs where it's been important that the WiFi 'just works' and on the whole this has been the case.

I have also had some good reports of the EnGenius kit which can be used in a similar "pseudo-manged" manner (and their higher end kit can be used fully managed too) but I haven't tried any of that kit so far.

None of this stuff is as easy to set up out of the box as a consumer level access point or wireless range extender so it's not something that I can make a blanket recommendation for as it's not cheap, it does still require that you run network cables to the access points so there's actual 'work' required there and of course you have to be able to configure it too but I'd definitely recommend that you at least look into the stuff and I would certainly hope that it wouldn't be beyond the abilities of a local "computer man" to be able to set up.

Phil

Plant Pot posted:

Hello all,

I am looking to create a wifi access point via a wired connection back to the main router. Can anyone recommend a simple way of doing this. I have an old TP Link wifi range extender that I thought could do it but I can't get the thing to work.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Matthew

Hi Matthew - one of the simplest and effective ways is to get an Apple Airport Express and set up in bridge mode with its own SSID. You can configure it simply from a Mac or PC or IOS Device. It is also well disposed to enabling discovery protocols which are essential for UPnP DLNA operation. Good domestic wifi doesn't have to be hard - and even good modern professional equipment is a lot simpler than older more fiddly solutions... unless you get into hundreds of users - and then it gets challenging again

You are right to use a wired connection back to your router switch port. Extenders are not good and really are not optimal for this sort of media use. Some new prosumer and commercial equipment uses meshing - that is you set up a grid of APs that all talk to each other with at least one master - and it dynamically 'routes' the traffic across the mesh for optimum throughput - but for the average home and usage density I suspect that is complete over kill. The Unifi solution is an older method of 'joining' SSIDs to a single SSID - but OpenMesh  is what I would advocate if needing many multiple access points these days as it tends to be simpler and more plug and play to set up than Unifi.

However as I say for the typical home try the Apple device - a fair few of users of that on this forum... and position within thirty feet or so (dependent on walls) to where you intend to use it most of the time.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

<<SNIP>>

 - but OpenMesh  is what I would advocate if needing many multiple access points these days as it tends to be simpler and more plug and play to set up than Unifi.

<<SNIP>>

Hi Simon,

My issue with any mesh type wireless networks is that if there are a number of hops required then you can still end up with throughput issues whereas with the Ubiquiti / EnGenius type of solution you have a wired link up to the network.

Horses for courses (of course) ...

Phil

Hi Phil,  yes  absolutely - Open Mesh optimally works when its a true mesh as opposed to more of a chain... so meshing with a mixture of low power un tethered access points and wired access points should be optimal... 

Thanks for all of the replies and useful information. I went for the Airport Express in the end and it's working very well.

Cheers,

Matthew

Good stuff Matthew... you can get back to enjoying your music now..